


beside the salty water

by gruhukens



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 07:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4382204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gruhukens/pseuds/gruhukens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“It doesn’t matter, you know that?” Ruby says. “Anything that anyone else says. I know what we are, and you know what we are, and that’s all that matters."</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Upon meeting Ruby and Sapphire for the first time, Greg's reaction is less than stellar, but nothing ever stops them for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beside the salty water

**Author's Note:**

> ALL I NEED IN THIS LIFE OF SIN IS ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND, DOWN TO RIDE TILL THE HAPPY END IS ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND
> 
> thanks to icona pop's girlfriend for inspiring this, also thanks to steven universe for making me cry multiple times last week and making me ask why greg recognised ruby and sapphire, also thanks to the oh hellos for everything and particularly for giving me a title.
> 
> don't get me wrong. i actually love greg. sorry, greg.
> 
> also, this is unbeta'd, so sorry for all the mistakes :(

Ruby already knows where to go.

Greg looks shocked and guilty, which isn’t a particularly attractive combination. When they're Garnet, they usually like him well enough, with none of Pearl’s ill-concealed jealousy or Amethyst’s near-constant boredom. Right now, though, Ruby can’t stand to look at him.

She pushes past him, and she’s not above shoving a little harder than she usually would. The space on her hand where Sapphire’s gem usually sits in Garnet meets him square on the hip as she passes.

Stumbling, he calls out to her - to Garnet - but she is already out of the cave.

The temple is close enough to the sea that she can see Rose already stepping out over the waves. Ruby knows it’s a lost cause, if a kind one. Sapphire doesn’t like salt water as much as fresh water - it's a lot more difficult to make ice - and in the depths of summer, the sea is uncomfortably warm for her on her own. Rose won't find her out there.

Instead, she turns and heads into the hills.  

 

* * *

 

Up in the mountains, close to some of Rose’s gardens, there's a spring which Garnet particularly likes. This is the first place Ruby checks, and it’s here she finds Sapphire. She is lying just underneath the surface of the river, the cool water freezing and crystallizing even as it streamlines her hair and clothes.

Because of the current, and the ice, Ruby can’t tell if she’s crying.

It feels like she can barely tell anything about Sapphire outside of Garnet. They’ve been together without splitting for so long that being on her own again is almost unbearable: colorless and disorienting. She’s off-balance. For a minute, she selfishly hates Greg for nothing other than making her alone again. Realizing Sapphire isn’t there to automatically temper her fury makes her hate him even more before she gets ahold of herself.

Silently, Ruby wades into the river and sits down beside her, sending up clouds of steam. She makes a concerted effort to still her anger. In response, the steam slows to a slight and constant billow just above the surface of the water.

“I didn’t see it coming,” says Sapphire after a moment, breaking the surface with a ripple. “What he said. I’m sorry. I’m not ashamed of you or of us, I’m just –“

“I know,” says Ruby, because she always does. She puts her hand over the water and plays with the steam as it rises through her fingers. She can be patient, for Sapphire.

“It’s not a big deal, really,” says Sapphire. “It’s only that it’s been so long since anyone has said anything about us. I know Greg doesn’t know any better. Everyone was like that at first. I’d just forgotten what it was like.”

“It doesn’t matter, you know that?” Ruby says. “Anything that anyone else says. I know what we are, and you know what we are, and that’s all that matters. Rose’s human doesn’t know _anything_.”

Sapphire flops back into the river. It rises as ice in peaks around her, and curves to fall without touching her face, turning back to water as it hits the river around her again.

“I just hate hearing it,” says Sapphire, so quietly Ruby can barely hear her. “I love you. I love you so much. Every time someone says something about Garnet or about us, it feels like they’re looking at the way I love you, and finding it lacking. I’m sorry we split. I just never thought I’d hear that again.”

Ruby is silent for a moment, turning her hands over and over in the stream. After a moment of careful concentration, she sketches Garnet’s rough shape in the steam and sends it over to kiss Sapphire on the nose.

Sapphire laughs and scrunches up her the face, batting the steam into wisps. Watching her, Ruby thinks, not for the first time, that as long as she can do this for Sapphire, she’ll never need Future Vision for anything.

“I meant it,” says Ruby. “It doesn’t matter.” She summons Garnet in the steam again, watches as the parts of it closest to Sapphire solidify and glitter. “If you wanted – we could leave. I’d do that, to make sure nothing ever upsets you like this again. But I think it would be better if you just believed this: I don’t need anything other than everything you already give me. And nobody else’s opinion about you, or me, or us, matters to me, apart from yours.”

Sapphire brushes her fringe aside for a moment to look at her, sitting up. Self-consciously, Ruby dissolves the steam-Garnet, rocking back onto her heels. Sapphire watches her, unspeaking.

“I love you so much,” Ruby blurts. She hates this. She hates not being able to tell what Sapphire is thinking. “Maybe I didn’t let you know enough when we were Garnet, but I thought you knew, I really did –“

Sapphire shushes her.

“I know,” she says. “I knew. Nothing is ever certain when we're Garnet. It doesn’t get much easier to control Future Vision as a fusion, even with your help. But I was so sure about you, I never needed it to let me know about us. I was always sure, Ruby.”

Ruby holds out her hand. Sapphire’s hand settles into it and Ruby curls her fingers over and around it without really thinking, already lifting up, already slipping into their old dance again.

 

* * *

 

Garnet steps into the cave. Greg and Rose look up from where they’re sitting at the warp pad, Rose’s hand already lifting from Greg’s shoulder. Amethyst and Pearl are nowhere to be seen, but Garnet splitting up always makes them uncomfortable. She’ll find them later, she thinks. She’ll apologise together.

“I’m _really_ sorry,” says Greg before Garnet can say anything to him. “I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to hurt you – you guys – any of you. Are you okay? You’re back for good? I didn’t, like, _ruin_ Garnet?”

For a moment, Garnet is upset again, but then Sapphire’s icy coolness and Ruby’s fury coalesce into peace and strength and deep down, Garnet feels herself again. She loves herself again. She smiles.

“Greg,” she says. “I like you, but don’t overestimate yourself.”

“So you’re good?” he asks anxiously.

 _You’re good?_ asks Ruby.

 _Of course,_ says Sapphire. _You’re with me._

Garnet adjusts her visor. “Greg,” she says. “I’m always good.”


End file.
